“I am convinced of his musicianship”
José Navarro-Silberstein is a Bolivian pianist whose artistry has captivated audiences across more than 20 countries in Europe, Asia, North and South America. He has performed in renowned venues such as the Musikverein in Vienna, Flagey in Brussels, ACT City in Hamamatsu, Merkin Hall in New York, and TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht, Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria in Santander among many others.
Navarro-Silberstein has appeared as a soloist with orchestras such as the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra, Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock, Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra, and La Paz Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of conductors including Timothy Redmond, Markus L. Frank, Wojciech Rajski, and Andreas Penninger. His deep musical curiosity extends beyond modern pianos to period instruments, an interest nurtured during his studies with the legendary Paul Badura-Skoda, as one of his last pupils.
His debut album, Vibrant Rhythms, released by GENUIN Classics, has garnered international acclaim, receiving praise from BBC Music Magazine, Pizzicato, PianoNews, Interlude, and many others. The album was awarded the Supersonic Award by Pizzicato and nominated for the ICMA 2024.
Navarro-Silberstein has distinguished himself in major competitions, winning prizes at the Anton Rubinstein Piano Competition in Düsseldorf, the Tbilisi International Piano Competition, the International Competition Young Academy Award in Rome, and the Claudio Arrau International Piano Competition in Chile, among others. He was a finalist at the Eppan Piano Academy and the prestigious 63rd Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition, as well as the edition of the present year.
“Navarro-Silberstein is the master of all Latin American moods, playing with both feeling and real flair”
Beyond his solo career, he is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Masurka Concerts, a forward-thinking concert platform based in Cologne, Germany, which reimagines the concert experience by fostering a closer connection between young performers and audiences through creative ensemble collaborations. As a passionate chamber musician, he has worked with leading performers of his generation, as well as with Augustin Dumay, Eberhard Marshall, Frank Braley, under many others. With his Trio Silberstein, he won a special prize at the Martha Debelli Chamber Music Competition in Graz.
As an educator, he has given masterclasses and workshops at the Pre-College Department of the Manhattan School of Music, Third Street Music Settlement in New York, Rutgers University, the Eppan Piano Academy, La Paz and Sucre Conservatories and the Santa Cruz Fine Arts College. He has also served as a jury member for national music competitions in Bolivia.
He studied with Balasz Szokolay at the Franz Liszt University in Weimar and with Claudio Martínez Mehner at the University of Music and Dance in Cologne. In 2017-18 he had an Erasmus Year at the University of Arts in Graz and the Music Academy in Zagreb with Milana Chernyavska and Ruben Dalibaltayan. He just concluded his Artist Diploma programme at the Royal College of Music in London under the guidance of Norma Fisher and Ian Jones. Since September 2023 he is an Artist in Residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel.
A recipient of numerous scholarships, he is supported by Talent Unlimited in London, the Robert Turnbull Piano Foundation, the Theo and Petra Lieven Foundation and the Musikakademie in Liechtenstein.
Beyond his life as a pianist, he has a deep passion for literature, visual arts and electronic music, which continue to shape his artistic sensibilities and inspire his approach to performance and interpretation.